STAYTON – Paige Hook and Jordan Ohrt didn’t know each other a year ago, and they were virtually unknown to voters.

They became acquainted at city council and community meetings and discovered they had a lot in common – they are women who have roots in the community, are parents of young children and about the same age.

Their opinions differ on some subjects, but Ohrt and Hook decided to run for city council in Stayton in the same election and formed a bond, often canvassing homes together.

Ohrt and Hook are leading in votes for three Stayton city council positions in the Nov. 6 election and are among nine women in Marion County – many of them first-time candidates – defeating men or winning elections to replace a man on a city council or as mayor in the mid-term election.

“Why should leadership only be held by men?” said Jacqueline Leung, who is winning election for Salem Councilor, Ward 4. “We’re seeing an increase in the number of women doing wonderful work.”

What happened in Marion County is part of a nationwide trend, including a record 102 women being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I don’t feel like we’re taking (seats from men), I feel like we’re finally getting the seat at the table that we’ve deserved for a long time,” Hook said. “We’re just finally getting to the point where we’re getting equal representation, and we’re still not there. We’re still not even close to there. We’ve got a long way to go."

Newer organizations such as Emerge Oregon, Emily’s List and She Should Run are aiding female candidates and have given women resources they have not previously had.

Jim Moore, assistant professor and director of Tom McCall Center for Policy Innovation at Pacific University, said female first-time candidates being elected at the local level tend to be women who desire more representative voices in politics.

Jacqueline Leung is running for the Ward 4 city council seat.(Photo: Photo courtesy of Maileen Hamto)

“And it is not isolated,” Moore said. “There is a lot of it happening around the county.”

When Monika Martin moved back to Scotts Mills with her young family a few years ago, she and her husband went to the city council with concerns and didn’t feel they were properly addressed.

Martin’s father, Larry Martin, was formerly the mayor of Scotts Mills, and her mother, Katherina Martin, was previously on the city council.

“We feel like we get lost looking after our kids and being a housewife,” the 30-year-old Martin said. “We have good opinions, we just don’t get those out.”

She is in line to win one of three available seats.

Jillian Schoene, co-executive director of Emerge Oregon, said her group has been recruiting younger women to run for office.

“It was not that long ago where white men were heavily recruited, and now there is an intentional effort to recruit women and people of color,” Schoene said. “It’s because we’re asking them and inviting them and supporting them through training.”

“We’ve had men who had lots of different roles,” Leung said. “It’s been fine, but we also need to have more representation of women.

“As much as we like to sugarcoat and say everyone has the same experiences, that’s not the case.”

Moore said a large group of women entering politics for the first time at younger ages could have a lasting impact as they seek higher offices in years to come.

Barbara Roberts was elected to the Parkrose School Board in 1973 as she had a child with learning issues, then went on to be elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, the Secretary of State and became Oregon’s first female governor in 1991.

“It’s a very promising sign,” Moore said. “It increases the odds that we’re going to have more women at higher level of office.”

Stayton has had female representation on the city council in the past – including current councilor Priscilla Glidewell – but having a group of previously unknown 30-somethings voted in at the same time was unforeseeable.

“It is sort of exciting. I think it’s nice to see a wide demographic of people wanting to get engaged and involved in politics and their local government,” Stayton city manager Keith Campbell said.

“Hopefully that engages other people. Community involvement is one of the challenges you have.”

Ohrt said she grew up being told she could do whatever she wanted to do.

“That’s what our generation was told, and that kind of gets used against us, but also why not be a mother, work full-time and be part of politics and be an active voice in your community? Because you can. You can be whatever you want to be,” Ohrt said.

“In a sense, it’s kind of surprising that people are surprised by that because this is what you told me to do.”